Author: jurugocomboni

A while ago I was reading about the generation X (born before & after the great recession), millenials (born 1987-1997) and generation Y (the children of millenials) in the US.

There was a noticeable variation in the lifestyle of all three generations as they were shaped and influenced by different dynamics.

Generation X was shaped by the economic collapse at there time and so didn’t have the financial muscle to spend as they wished.

The millenials were born after the 2nd world war and so didn’t participate in the war. They are the largest workforce at present.

Generation Y came after the millenials.

Using the western world categorisation of there generations using a key historically significant events, our generation here in Uganda is sqaurely millenial. And fortunately or unfortunately were the majority.

With a background of the wars in Uganda, there has been limited parenting from our parents who r busy at work because their parents didn’t hv the best of envirnments and were unable to send them to school or even build enough wealth.

This is when one is generally speaking. There are, of course, a few exceptions to this.

The country lost out valueable time that subsequently resulted in a drop in the aggregate wealth of the populations.

Our generation therefore doesn’t have a firm footing to lauch from and is thus unable to start early families proper as we would have loved to.

We have to build a wealth base for ourselves and the many dependant around us that will enable us make up for our parents’ ‘lost generation’ while at the same time propelling ourselves forward.

We aren’t yet out of the woods.

It will take a completely different view on life, and not just copying whatever we see in the movies, and onto the right track of financial stability as well as the good life that we rightfully so desire.

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Earlier on today I came across a post, by a media personality, that made the case for one not delaying marriage regardless of whether one has the financial resources to undertake that or not.

She makes the valid point that one can’t predict with certainity the time frame within which they’ll get the resources, financial in this case, to take on the responsibilities of a family.

She draws the reader’s attention to the need to have children old enough to take over from parents when they’re in their old age.

That leaves me wondering whether that outwide view of things won’t entrench young families in more poverty especially when putting into context the Ugandan situation.

It’s no secrete that many individuals live lives as couples – cohabiting – but aren’t actually married. Most cite financial hardships as the major impediment to marrying their partner.

And with a patriachal society such as Uganda’s where the men are seen as the primary providers and bread-winners for their families – rightly so, a significant number of women aren’t ready to step-up and for obvious reasons.

Starting a family early on in one’s life is preferrable for the benefits that it offers however embarking on that journey when not ready especially finacially is akin to condemning oneself to years of unhappiness and misery.

Striking a balance in all matters life should be the goal of many a human but where such a balance is hard to strike one is better off not going down that path.

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The candidature of Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a local musician commonly known by his stage name ‘Bobi wine’ seems to have sensationalised what would otherwise have passed off as the usual competition between the party in power, National Resistence Movement (NRM) and the leading oppositon party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

Mr Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine. Photo: theUgandan.com.ug

A field day for the media
A huge benefitiary of the current status quo is the media that is always looking for stories of public interest that it can sensationalise, attracting a following that is converted into advertising revenue.

Many media houses bearly made a profit in FY 2016/17 than the previous year largely due a tough economy which saw business activity subdued. Some have labelled the economy a ‘bad economy’ a narative the government rejects.

The economy grew at 3.9% down from a projected 5.5% growth rate.
But that’s a topic for another day.

Bobi wine’s campaign has thus received extensive media coverage by most local media stations; that it has shadowed the other candidates in the race.First things first
The by-election resulted from the courts nullifying Mr. Apollo Kantiti’s (FDC) election win after his challenger Mr. William Sitenda Sebalu (NRM) in the recently cocluded 2016 elections successfully appealed against Mr Katinti’s win.

Many members of parliament have been ejected from the August parliament, as well.

Who’s Kyadondo East
To put this into perspective, Kyadondo East is an electoral constituency that covers 219.48 square kilometers with an estimated population of about 216,726 people as of 2010, according to this article.

The economic activities being farming, brick laying, transport and trade for the rural part of the constituency; and restaurant, market vending, hair care, road side groceries and health care clinics on the semi-urban part of the same.

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The city of London has been in the news lately and as good reason can tell; it hasn’t been for all the right reasons.

A string of terrorist attacks has plagued the city leaving Londoners to question the ability of the security establishment in doing their job – to protect them.

It is has become evident to the observing eye that something needs to change in the way security matters are dealt with.

A raft of fixes have been thrown around including a review or total rewriting of the civil liberties that the west is has been known for in an attempt to deal with the problem at hand.

These attacks have played out at a time when Britons were in the middle of election campaign process.

The prime minister Theresa May had called a snap election as a way to ‘strenthen her hand’ at the negotiating table as the UK begins the process to exit the European Union (EU).

Her plan didn’t turnout as expected leaving her with anything but a majority in the parliament, a weaker hand is what she got.

She has now had to form a coalition government.

The Grenfell fire incidence only her election loss off the front pages of major newspapers and other media; and stirred public anger at her government handling of fire.

Pressure on her was only compounded.

It is reported that 58 perished in the fire that gutted the 20 floor building. Preliminary findings at the time found an unresponsive fire alarm system and highly flamable materials to blame.

So much in a span of a few weeks.

The threat of terrorism has grown over the years shifting from attacks effected by terrorists from lands afar to attacks effected by people from those very communities; a trend that has been termed as ‘home-grown terrorism.’